There are people who might tell you that a quirk is a physical feature that stands out. Don’t listen to them.
At the risk of sounding like I am going off on a rant, let me give you a logical explanation.
If you go to Merriam-Webster.com you will find…
Definition of quirk (Entry 1 of 2)
1a: an abrupt twist or curve
b: a peculiar trait : IDIOSYNCRASY
c: ACCIDENT, VAGARY
a quirk of fate
2: a groove separating a bead or other molding from adjoining members
Now, those definitions might make you think that the term quirk is open to interpretation allowing for the inclusion of physical traits, and I might agree. However, if you look up the word used to describe “a peculiar trait” you see that you come up with…
Definition of idiosyncrasy
1a: a peculiarity of constitution or temperament : an individualizing characteristic or quality
b: individual hypersensitiveness (as to a drug or food)
2: characteristic peculiarity (as of temperament)
broadly : ECCENTRICITY
This has a strong lean away from the physical appearance and toward personality and behavior. Yet, if you look at Dictionary.com you will find a more obviously non-physical bent to the definition.
quirk
[ kwurk ]
noun
a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism:
He is full of strange quirks.
a shift, subterfuge, or evasion; quibble.
a sudden twist or turn:
You might say, “Ok, so some people give a loose definition. Why is that such a problem?” I will give you one good reason this can be a problem: you are using a whole different manner of thinking for one or the other.
Physical traits are used to describe how the character looks. It is an outward thing; only skin deep. Physical traits really do very little for a story as a whole. You could get away with almost no physical description whatsoever, because whether the character has blond hair or black hair really doesn’t change the things that happen, unless the character needs to disguise themselves while on the run or some such. Height is the same; it only matters in instances where the height of the character creates a challenge in the story. Only when the physical trait is made an issue within the story is it more than icing on the cake.
The character quirks are deeper, like the fact that Samwise Gamgee, from “Lord of the Rings” tends to end his explanations with “If you catch my meaning.” or some such. These sorts of things can show insight into who the character is, and that is very meaningful to a story. These can cause personal conflict or unity between characters. Character quirks might cause a snag to create more obstacles to overcome; a habit of laughing when nervous might cause a crucial negotiation to go horribly awry.
Character quirks can move the story along. For example: two characters don’t recognize each other because they are disguised due to some crisis, but the quirk in question makes one of them wonder if they have found their long-lost companion, creating internal conflict. There is also possible external conflict if that quirk causes one of them to be discovered by antagonistic entities too soon. If the revelation might cause the discovered character to come to harm if action is not taken right away, this could be a great motivator. Who knew a character quirk could light a fire under a stagnant character’s butt? This quirk could also reunite the two characters, enabling them to take on the final battle or bid for freedom together where they would have failed separately.
Enough examples. Now, that you see why I am saying don’t listen to those who equate physical traits with character quirks (notice the different wording), I am going to give you a link that does provide character quirks, but also provides physical traits in that list. Both are useful. Just remember which is which. This list is from yourdictionary.com.
Now, here is a list from a site called rpgalchemy.com. The list is broken up into part 1 and part 2. Not all of these will apply to all genres. This is because it is a role playing site, therefore, the quirks most likely apply to fantasy writing. Yet, I figure there are some that could be adjusted for other genres. If you are writing a fantasy book this could be your cup of tea, or flower nectar or… you get the idea.
Also, remember your character quirks can be determined by the tone of your book and the wrong quirk can hinder, that being said, spinning that same tendency can help.
Let’s say you are writing a horror novel. In this novel, you have a character who finds the beauty in everything. Yes, we are talking ‘Pollyanna’ here, though male or female doesn’t make any difference. The point is, if they wind up killed, maimed, or emotionally scarred during the course of the story, let’s just say that this would help emphasize the horrendousness of the monster or what-have-you, without the need for blood and gore or strong language because the harm caused to that character, with that quirk, says everything that needs to be said. ‘What kind of monster could hurt so-and-so?’ It just leaves a sense of appall, if the character had previously generated affection from the reader. Normally, sweetness does not match the mood of a horror, but with this sort of spin, it can.
That is an example of a spin where a conflicting character trait was made to benefit the story. Now, what if you have a psychological thriller and a main character has a tendency to crack jokes or do a slapstick skit when they are nervous or when they are just bored. That might give some comic relief, or it might just be a jarring/grating addition.
If you are looking for an inspiring theme where mighty deeds are called for, do you need a character who was born great, who achieved greatness, or had greatness thrust upon them? Whichever you choose will affect character traits and the consequent choices that character makes, and those choices will in turn affect the path the story will take.
In a nutshell, be careful about the character quirks you choose for those you populate your story with, they can be your boon or your bane. Remember, don’t take it so seriously that you don’t try different things, even some ideas that seem a little out of the box. Experiment, make mistakes, have fun, and enjoy the wonder.
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